Magnetic fastener pad

ABSTRACT

A magnetic fastener pad ( 4 ) has a magnet ( 1 ) with magnetic pull to a pad face ( 2 ) structured predeterminedly for supporting magnetic retention of predetermined items on the pad face. The magnet and the pad face are structured for cooperatively supporting magnetic retention of a predetermined class of items ( 3 ) on the magnetic fastener pad. The fastener pad includes a pad attachment ( 5 ) structured predeterminedly for positioning the fastener pad on individual clothing, on a worker belt, on a worker apron, and on a generally horizontal surface selectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to devices that hold fasteners and otherwork-related items for convenient access for use by an individual in aworking or hobby environment.

2. Relation to Prior Art

Conventionally, fasteners such as nails, screws, bolts, nuts, washers,thimbles, pins, needles, spacers and small tools are held in containers,in pockets, in an individual's hand and often in a worker's mouth forconvenient access for use by the individual. Access from containers andpockets is not as convenient as it could be. Hand-holding impairsagility and dexterity of the individual. Mouth-holding is dangerous andunsanitary.

There is no magnetic fastener pad known for holding fasteners and otherwork-related items for convenient access for use by an individual in aworking environment as taught by this invention. Construction workers,carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, machinists, designers, architects,teachers and other individuals can benefit greatly from use of thisinvention.

An advisory caution, however, is that it should not be used in closeproximity to computers, pacemakers and other electronic equipment whichthe invention's magnetic flux can harm.

Related but different prior art is known to include the following:DOCUMENT NUMBER INVENTOR DISCLOSURE DATE U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,793 B1 Coleet al. Aug. 9, 2005 U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,765 B2 Awad Sep. 6, 2005 U.S.Pat. No. 6,571,940 B2 Newman Jun. 3, 2003

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention areto provide a a magnetic fastener pad which:

is light and easy to use;

can be attached quickly and easily to clothing or worker instrumentholders such as tool belts and tool jackets or aprons;

can be positioned quickly and easily on flat surfaces such as a table, amachine, a floor or a shelf;

is versatile for holding a wide variety of fasteners, items and tools;

can be adapted for holding specific items and classes of items;

increases safety and agility by freeing a hand otherwise required tohold or to access fasteners and other worker items;

decreases fatigue by ease of access to the fasteners and other workeritems;

decreases labor time by preventing dropping and pickup of the fastenersand other worker items; and

allows climbing ladders with both hands instead of using one hand tohold the fasteners and other worker items.

This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a magneticfastener pad having magnetic pull to a pad face structuredpredeterminedly for supporting magnetic retention of predetermined itemson the pad face. The magnetic fastener pad includes a pad attachmentstructured predeterminedly for positioning the fastener pad onindividual clothing, on a worker belt, on a worker apron, and on agenerally horizontal surface selectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention is described by appended claims in relation todescription of a preferred embodiment with reference to the followingdrawings which are explained briefly as follows:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the inventionhaving a generally flat surface of polymer containing magnetizedparticles for holding relatively small items that include small nails,pins, needles, washers, fastener nuts and small fastener items;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 1 illustration;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an embodiment having a plurality ofmagnetized units arrayed for providing holding spaces for extensions ofrelatively larger fastener components and small-to-medium tools;

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 3 illustration andshowing an attachment member, a representative clamp and a belt loop ona back surface;

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 4 embodiment with aprop in the attachment member and without a belt loop;

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment with a firstpad face having a magnetized-polymer face and a second pad face havingthe plurality of magnetized units joined by a flexible hinge andstanding on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 6 embodiment in aclosed mode for hanging on a horizontal edge;

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment with a pluralholder face having a portion for holding small items with themagnetized-polymer face and a portion for holding medium-sized itemswith the plurality of magnetized units joined by a flexible hinge to aplural holder face having protrusions and indentations of magnetizedpolymer and magnetized units and standing on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 8 embodiment in anoptionally separate or hinged mode;

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment with metallicsheets having optionally smooth, rough and serrated surfaces on pluralholder faces; and

FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway side view of the FIG. 10 embodiment withthe metallic sheets on optionally separate pad faces.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A description of the preferred embodiment of this invention follows alist of numbered terms which designate its features with the samenumbers on the drawings and in parentheses throughout the descriptionand throughout the patent claims.

-   1. Magnet-   2. Pad face-   3. Items-   4. Magnetic fastener pad-   5. Pad attachment-   6. Horizontal edge-   7. Horizontal surface-   8. Magnetized particles-   9. Polymer sheet-   10. Magnetized units-   11. Holder spaces-   12. Back surface-   13. Attachment member-   14. Clamp-   15. Prop-   16. First pad face-   17. Second pad face-   18. Hinge-   19. Protrusion-   20. Indentation-   21. Plural-holder face-   22. Small items-   23. Mid-sized items-   24. Belt loop-   25. Metallic sheet-   26. Serrated metal-   27. Orthogonal serrations-   28. Curved serrations-   29. Smooth-surfaced metal-   30. Rough-surfaced metal

Referring to the FIGS, a magnetic fastener pad (4) has at least onepredetermined magnet (1) proximate at least one pad face (2). The magnet(1) and the pad face (2) are structured for cooperatively supportingmagnetic retention of a predetermined class of items (3) on the magneticfastener pad (4). The class of items (3) can include nails, screws,bolts, nuts, washers, pins, needles, spacers, fasteners generally,thimbles, scissors, plyers, wrenches, and tools designedly.

A pad attachment (5) is structured for positioning of the magneticfastener pad (4) on a predetermined class of objects designedly. Theclass of objects includes individual clothing, a worker belt, a workerapron, a worker harness, a generally horizontal edge (6) and a generallyhorizontal surface (7). The generally horizontal edge (6) is intended toinclude an edge of clothing or an edge of a generally flat object. Thegenerally horizontal surface (7) is intended to include a flat surfaceon a machine, a floor or any ambient horizontal surface that isappropriate for intended use conditions.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, and 6-9, the magnet (1) can include a pluralityof magnetized particles (8) dispersed designedly in the pad face (2).

The pad face (2) and the magnetized particles (8) can have designedlyfrictional resistance in addition to magnetic pull for deterrence ofsliding travel of the class of items (3).

The pad face (2) can include a flexible polymer sheet (9) and themagnetized particles (8) can be designedly sized, concentrated,magnetically saturated and oriented in the flexible polymer sheet (9)for desired magnetic pull in a direction of the pad face (2).

Referring to FIGS. 3-9, the magnet (1) can include a plurality ofmagnetized units (10) dispersed designedly on the pad face (2). Theplurality of magnetized units (10) can be sized, shaped, concentrated,magnetically saturated and oriented on the pad face (2) designedly fordesired magnetic pull in a direction of the pad face (2).

The plurality of magnetized units (10) can be extended outwardly fromthe pad face (2) designedly for desired holder spaces (11) intermediateat least parts of the magnetized units (10).

The plurality of magnetized units (10) can be arrayed for formingpredetermined holder spaces (11) which are holder channels for receivingitem projections designedly. The item projections can include nailheads, screw heads and irregularities of the items (3) which otherwisecould prevent item-surface contact with the magnetized units (10).

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 and 9, the magnetic fastener pad (4) can have asingle pad face.

The single pad face can have a back surface (12). The pad attachment (5)can be positioned on the back surface (12).

Referring to FIGS. 4-5, the pad attachment (5) can be an attachmentmember (13) structured for containing an anchoring portion of apredetermined clamp (14) as shown in FIG. 4, for clamping the magneticfastener pad (4) to the class of objects designedly. The clamp (14)illustrated is representative of clamps generally.

The pad attachment (5) can include the attachment member (13) structuredfor containing an anchoring portion of a predetermined prop (15), asshown in FIG. 5, for propping up the magnetic fastener pad (4) on thegenerally horizontal surface (7).

A belt loop (24) shown on the back surface (12) in FIG. 4 is intendedalso as an attachment member (13).

Referring to FIGS. 6-7, the magnetic fastener pad (4) can include afirst pad face (16) and a second pad face (17) hinged together by ahinge (18). The first pad face (16) and the second pad face (17) can bespreadable predeterminedly at the hinge (18) for attachment of themagnetic fastener pad (4).

The first pad face (16) can include a first-item face structured forholding a first selection of the items (3) and the second pad face (17)can include a second-item face structured for holding a second selectionof the items (3) predeterminedly.

Referring to FIGS. 8-9, the pad face (2) can include a contoured facewith at least a portion of the contoured face having at least onepredetermined protrusion (19) and at least one predetermined indentation(20) for containing at least a portion of at least one of thepredetermined items (3) on the pad face (2) and thereby arresting travelof the predetermined items (3) from reaction to external force.

The protrusion (19) can have at least one of the magnetized units (10)and the indentation (20) also can have at least one of the magnetizedunits (10).

Referring to FIGS. 8-9 and as shown partly in FIGS. 1-5, the pad face(2) can include a plural-holder face (21) having a predeterminedplurality of holder-design portions. The predetermined plurality ofholder-design portions can be selected from a class of the holder-designportions that can include a small-item holder, a mid-sized-item holderand a large-sized-item holder in predetermined proportion to size of theplural-holder face (21). The plural-holder face (21) can includeseparate units optionally joined together by the hinge (18) and havingthe pad attachment (5), the attachment member (13), the clamp (14) andthe belt loop (24) selectively.

The small-item holder can include the polymer sheet (10) having themagnetized particles (8) for holding small items (22) of a class ofitems that includes pins, needles, small nails, small fastenercomponents and small tools retained by predeterminedly low magnetic pullfor ease and convenience of finger-access on a predeterminedly flat andflexible surface.

The mid-sized-item holder can include the magnetized units (9) havingthe holder spaces (11) and channels for holding mid-sized items (23) ofa class of items that includes medium-sized nails, medium-sized fastenercomponents and medium-sized tools retained by predeterminedly mediummagnetic pull for ease and convenience of finger-access on apredeterminedly channeled and rigid surface.

The large-sized-item holder can include the contoured face having theprotrusion (19) and the indentation (20) for holding large-sized itemsof a class of items that includes large-sized nails, large-sizedfastener components and large-sized tools retained by predeterminedlyhigh magnetic pull for ease and convenience of hand-access on apredeterminedly contoured and rigid surface.

Referring to FIGS. 10-11, the magnet (1) can include at least onemetallic sheet (25) on the pad face (2). The metallic sheet (25) can bepredeterminedly smooth-surfaced metal (29) or rough-surfaced metal (30).

Optionally, the metallic sheet (25) can be serrated metal (26) havingorthogonal serrations (27) and curved serrations (28) predeterminedly.

One or more variations of the metallic sheet (25) can be positioned onseparate pad faces (2) or on plural holder faces (21) as shown.

Referring to the FIGS, the magnetic fastener pad (4) can include atleast two ranges of sizes. The two ranges of sizes can include alight-to-medium size having dimensions of two-to-six inches wide andsix-to-twelve inches long and a medium-to-large size having dimensionsof six-to-fourteen inches wide and eighteen-to-forty-two inches long.

A new and useful magnetic fastener pad having been described, all suchforeseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents,mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities ofparts, applications and forms thereof as described by the followingclaims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.

1. A magnetic fastener pad comprising: at least one predetermined magnet(1) on at least one pad face (2); the magnet (1) and the pad face (2)being structured for cooperatively supporting magnetic retention of apredetermined class of items (3) on the magnetic fastener pad (4); and apad attachment (5) structured for positioning of the magnetic fastenerpad (4) on a predetermined class of objects designedly.
 2. The magneticfastener pad of claim 1 in which: the magnet (1) includes a plurality ofmagnetized particles (8) dispersed designedly in the pad face (2); andthe pad face (2) and the magnetized particles (8) have designedlyfrictional resistance in addition to magnetic pull for deterrence ofsliding travel of the class of items (3).
 3. The magnetic fastener padof claim 2 in which: the pad face (2) includes a flexible polymer sheet(9); and the magnetized particles (8) are designedly sized,concentrated, magnetically saturated and oriented in the flexiblepolymer sheet (9) for desired magnetic pull in a direction of the padface (2).
 4. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 1 in which: the magnet(1) includes a plurality of magnetized units (10) dispersed designedlyon the pad face (2).
 5. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 4 in which:the plurality of magnetized units (10) are sized, shaped, concentrated,magnetically saturated and oriented on the pad face (2) designedly fordesired magnetic pull in a direction of the pad face (2).
 6. Themagnetic fastener pad of claim 5 in which: the plurality of magnetizedunits (10) are extended outwardly from the pad face (2) and arrayeddesignedly for forming desired holder spaces (11) intermediate at leastparts of the magnetized units (10).
 7. The magnetic fastener pad ofclaim 6 in which: the holder spaces (11) include predetermined holderchannels to receive item projections designedly.
 8. The magneticfastener pad of claim 1 in which: the magnetic fastener pad (4) includesa single pad face.
 9. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 8 in which: thesingle pad face has a back surface (12).
 10. The magnetic fastener padof claim 9 in which: the pad attachment (5) is positioned on the backsurface (12).
 11. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 10 in which: thepad attachment (5) includes an attachment member (13) structured forcontaining an anchoring portion of a predetermined clamp (14) forclamping the magnetic fastener pad (4) to the class of objectsdesignedly.
 12. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 10 in which: the padattachment (5) includes the attachment member (13) structured forcontaining an anchoring portion of a predetermined prop (15) forpropping up the magnetic fastener pad (4) on the generally horizontalsurface (7).
 13. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 1 in which: themagnetic fastener pad (4) includes a first pad face (16) and a secondpad face (17) hinged together by a hinge (18); and the first pad face(16) and the second pad face (17) are spreadable predeterminedly at thehinge (18) for attachment of the magnetic fastener pad (4).
 14. Themagnetic fastener pad of claim 1 in which: the pad face (2) includes acontoured face with at least a portion of the contoured face having atleast one protrusion (19) and at least one indentation (20)predeterminedly for containing at least a portion of at least one of thepredetermined items (3) on the pad face (2) and thereby for arrestingtravel of the predetermined items (3) from reaction to external force.15. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 14 in which: the protrusion (19)includes at least one of the magnetized units (10) and the indentation(20) includes at least one of the magnetized units (10).
 16. Themagnetic fastener pad of claim 1 in which: the pad face (2) includes aplural-holder face (21) having a predetermined plurality ofholder-design portions.
 17. The magnetic fastener pad of claim 16 inwhich: the holder-design portions include a small-item holder, amid-sized-item holder and a large-sized-item holder in predeterminedproportion to size of the plural-holder face (21).
 18. The magneticfastener pad of claim 17 in which: the small-item holder includes thepolymer sheet (9) having the magnetized particles (8) for holding smallitems (22) retained by predeterminedly low magnetic pull for ease andconvenience of finger-access on a predeterminedly flat and flexiblesurface; the mid-sized-item holder includes the magnetized units (10)having the holder spaces (11) for holding mid-sized items (23) retainedby predeterminedly medium magnetic pull for ease and convenience offinger-access on a predeterminedly channeled and rigid surface; and thelarge-sized-item holder includes the contoured face having theprotrusion (19) and the indentation (20) for holding large-sized itemsretained by predeterminedly high magnetic pull for ease and convenienceof hand-access on a predeterminedly contoured and rigid surface.
 19. Themagnetic fastener pad of claim 13 in which: the first pad face (16) is afirst-item face structured for holding a first selection of the items(3) and the second pad face (17) is structured for holding a secondselection of the items (3) predeterminedly.
 20. The magnetic fastenerpad of claim 1 in which: the magnet (1) includes at least one metallicsheet (25) on the pad face (2).
 21. The magnetic fastener pad of claim20 in which: at least a portion of the metallic sheet (25) includespredeterminedly smooth-surfaced metal (29).
 22. The magnetic fastenerpad of claim 20 in which: at least a portion of the metallic sheet (25)includes predeterminedly rough-surfaced metal (30).
 23. The magneticfastener pad of claim 20 in which: at least a portion of the metallicsheet (25) includes serrated metal (26).
 24. The magnetic fastener padof claim 23 in which: at least a portion of the serrated metal (26)includes orthogonal serrations (27).
 25. The magnetic fastener pad ofclaim 23 in which: at least a portion of the serrated metal (26)includes curved serrations (28).
 26. A magnetic fastener pad comprising:at least one predetermined magnet (1) proximate at least one pad face(2); the magnet (1) and the pad face (2) being structured forcooperatively supporting magnetic retention of the predetermined classof items (3) on the magnetic fastener pad (4); the pad attachment (5)structured for positioning of the magnetic fastener pad (4) on thepredetermined class of objects designedly; the magnetic fastener pad (4)including at least two ranges of sizes; and the two ranges of sizesincluding a light-to-medium size having peripheral dimensions ofapproximately two-to-six inches wide and six-to-twelve inches long and amedium-to-large size having peripheral dimensions of six-to-fourteeninches wide and eighteen-to-forty-two inches long.